Category: Preaching

Our Three Assignments

5/12/2021

Text: Mark 3:13-19 NASB 13 And He went up on the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. 14 And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, 15 and to have authority to cast out the demons. 16 And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), 17 and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, "Sons of Thunder"); 18 and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

Questions to Consider:

1. When was the last time that you encountered demonic spirits when sharing the gospel?

2. How important is your personal time with Christ? What does your time with Christ look like?

3. Have you ever operated or ministered in your own strength? How did that work out? What did you learn from that experience?

And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, 15 and to have authority to cast out the demons.

Theology & Apologetics
Jesus gives the 12 apostles three assignments to begin their ministry. These three assignments are not just for the first 12 apostles, but they are for us today as well.
These three assignments in verses 14 & 15 are:

That they would be with Him
That they would go out and preach
That they would have authority to cast out demons

These three assignments from Christ deal with what we as disciples are called to do as well as what we have been called to be.
In the Christian life there are three terms that are often used to describe what Jesus is instructing His disciples to do here. The three terms are: Conception, transformation and then manifestation.
To drive this point home of who we are called to be and what we are called to do, I want to point out three different biblical accounts and a Greek word that is found in each of the verses as an illustration.
The word that is found is the word: episkiázō ("overshadow"), "it is used in the NT of God's over-shadowing presence – which always brings His immutable will/plan to pass."
The three biblical accounts in which this word is used are:

Luke 1:35 - Mary's conception of Christ

Matthew 17:5, Luke 9:34, Mark 9:7 - Mount of Transfiguration

Acts 5:15 - Peter's shadow healing others

By looking at these three accounts we see that the presence of God came and overshadowed individuals causing a change to take place within them or within the environment surrounding them.
These three assignments that Christ gives to the 12 apostles in Mark 3:14-15 as well as these three accounts where the Greek word episkiázō is used, both deal with the natural order and progression of the Christian life:

Conception
Transfiguration/Transformation
Manifestation

In Mark 3:14 When Jesus called the disciples to "be with Him", that was the first and foremost calling that He gave. In this place of being with Him is where He was going to birth or conceive in them His life, His will, His faith, and His power (see Monday's blog titled 'Summoned and Wanted'). By these gifts being conceived in them they would also be transformed by them. It is in the place of intimacy that the life of Christ is conceived in us and where the power of Christ transforms us. When Jesus calls the disciples to be with Him, He is achieving both conception and transformation. This is what has happened, and is happening right now in every believer and disciple of Jesus Christ. The life of Christ is growing inside of them and the power of Christ is transforming them.
In the Christian life we can stop or be hindered along the way in our progression towards maturity. The life of Christ has been conceived in us, but we may be in a season of transformation where the power of Christ is dealing with us in certain areas thus hindering us from manifesting the power of Christ as we may have in the past. This is why when Jesus calls the disciples to be with Him, this was not a one time event and now it's time to go away. This calling that He gave was a continual, daily, moment by moment being with him so that we are constantly being "transformed from glory to glory". (Read 2 Cor 3:18 and the spiritual principle revealed that "what we behold, we will become".
If you're thinking that these 12 apostles were special, I want you to notice in verse 13 Jesus summoned all of His disciples to Himself, and then He immediately reiterates the same calling to the twelve apostles by calling them to Himself once again. The calling for every disciple is the same, no matter what your others titles or gifting's may be. Jesus is solidifying this point to all of His disciples, being with Christ is paramount and above any other calling.
Without the conception of Christ's life in us, and without the transformation of Christ's power in us, there can be no real or definitive manifestations of the power of God. We may manifest from our intellect, our flesh, our creativity or our emotions; but we will not manifest the fullness of Christ. If our hearts are abundantly full of ourselves and our ideas then that's what our mouth will speak of and what our lives will prove. We can only manifest what we posses.
He could send them out to preach, 15 and to have authority to cast out the demons.
After the calling to be with Him, Jesus then gives the apostles instructions on what to go out and DO. He sends them out to preach and to cast out demons. In Acts 5:15, sick people were being carried out to the streets on cots and pallets and it says that Peter's shadow would fall (episkiázō) on them bringing about healing. When we have the life of Christ in us; when we are being transformed by the power of Christ, we are not called to sit back and soak it all in. We have been called to GO and manifest the life of Christ that now lives in us. The preaching of the gospel is listed ahead of the casting out of demons; this is intentional. The preaching of the gospel is what is necessary for salvation; casting out of demons is not always needed and can be done without the person ever coming to faith in Christ. People come to faith through hearing the word of Christ and allowing the seed of the gospel to grow. Peter's goal in Acts 5 was not to heal people with his shadow, his goal was to "constantly add people to the number" Acts 5:14. But there are times when demonic powers are at work preventing that seed from taking root and they must be dealt with. Jesus is giving authority to the apostles to go out and preach and deal with demonic spirits with the power and life that He has put in them. You can be certain, when you preach the gospel, demons will manifest at some point. Their authority and power is being disarmed in the presence of the almighty power of God that is at work on earth today through the church; namely the gospel (Romans 1:16).
To try and preach the gospel or deal with demonic spirits without the life and power of Christ in us is futile, and dangerous at best. Likewise, to see multitudes of people dying all around us who are in need of freedom and deliverance from sin, while we stay safe under the guise of "spending time with God", is disobedient to the call of Christ and wasteful of the gifts of Christ that we have been given. Let us be lovers of Christ and then let us go and do the work of missionaries.

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Preaching the Gospel

3/5/2021

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Text: Mark 1:35-39 35 And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time. 36 Simon and his companions eagerly searched for Him; 37 and they found Him and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 He said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also preach there; for this is why I came.” 39 And He went into their synagogues preaching throughout Galilee, and casting out the demons.

1. When is the last time you shared the gospel with someone? A co-worker, a stranger, a family member etc. Share your experience below in the comments section

2. Do you find it difficult to speak up and share the gospel? Why or why not?

3. How have you overcome the fear of preaching the gospel? Share how that has happened in your life below to encourage others.

He said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also preach there; for this is why I came.” And He went into their synagogues preaching throughout Galilee, and casting out the demons. Mark 1:38 & 39
I can remember around 10 years ago around Easter time while I was at work, that my boss began talking about the Easter church service he went to with his parents up in Dallas. My boss was not a follower of Christ by any means. But he said that after going to that service that he felt this sense, in his own words, to 'get his butt back in church.' He then asked me "do you still do church?" I can remember in my heart the moving of the Spirit letting me know that this was a great opportunity that had opened up for me to share the gospel with him. My boss already knew that I was a follower of Christ and that I was a pastor of a small home church, but I had not fully presented the gospel to him up to this point. I can remember at that moment the feelings of fear, insecurity and unworthiness that came over me and the desire just to take the easy way out and say: "That's nice, glad you enjoyed the Easter service. I'm sure it would be good for you to get back into church. Our service times are Sundays from 10-12-- hope to see you there!"
Sure, I had tried to demonstrate that I was a follower of Christ through my life and actions. But now was a clear moment for me to open my mouth and proclaim the full gospel of Jesus to a lost, hurting person. I went on to explain to him that getting back into church was not what he needed; instead he needed a relationship with the Creator of the church. We talked for a few minutes about sin and how it leads to death. I explained what Jesus did on the cross by taking our sin upon Himself and paying the penalty for our sin. Then, how when He rose from the dead showing that He was victorious over death so that whoever believes in Him will never die. He asked a few other questions and then went on his way. He didn't fall on his knees in repentance right then and there, and I don't know what came about in his life, but I pray that a seed was planted. This is just one story; I have others where I cowered away in fear and insecurity. To this day, I pray that the Lord will intervene in those peoples lives where I missed the mark.
Jesus left the crowds of people behind so that He could go and preach the gospel to the surrounding cities and regions. In fact, Jesus says regarding preaching the gospel: "..for this is why I came" (verse 38). There is a saying that is going around today which is: "preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words." I understand the sentiment surrounding this saying; live in such a way that people see your actions and lifestyle and can know that you are a follower of Christ. But understand this, there will always come a point where we will have to open our mouths and declare who Christ is-- Romans 10:14 tells us as much.
The power of the proclamation cannot be understated. Jesus not only live a holy and sacrificial life for all to see; He also proclaimed the truth of the gospel to the point of eventually being crucified for doing so.
The power of the tongue and the words we speak have enormous power in the lives of people, and in the spiritual realm. Jesus did not rebuke Satan in His heart when He was being tempted, He did so publicly through authoritative words.
James 3:3-5 tells us:
Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. 4Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. 5So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.
James is getting this understanding of the power of the tongue from Christ Himself. Jesus says in Luke 6:45: “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.
The revelation is this: "If our heart if full of Christ; we will walk like Christ. If our heart is full of Christ; we will speak like Christ and of the things of Christ."
As a church, let us be a people that unashamedly declare the gospel. Let us be those people that seem to only have Christ to speak about with any passion at all. Let the dribble of the world that flows from our lips slowly fade away as we focus on the power of God that is on earth today: the gospel of Jesus Christ.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16 NASB
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” 14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” Romans 10:12-15 NASB

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